By Your Side
by Pricat
Summary: Shrek is made ill by Morgan and Snowgre is worried so he summons his two best friends to help him get the cure but he must help one of them when a mysterious girl shows up...
1. Struck by Illness

By Your Side

Ch 1

Snowgre was worried.

It was August and something was wrong.

He had been woken up by somebody walking out of the swamp house.

He heard coughing and ran into Shrek and Fiona's room.

He was scared for his cousin.

His skin had gone pale white, he was coughing, weak and had a fever.

Fiona trembled at that.

"What happened to him?" the teen asked her.

"I… don't know. He was fine but then I heard evil laughter as Shrek groaned in agony." She replied to him.

"_This isn't good!_

_I wonder what he came down with?_

_I hope there's a cure." _Snowgre thought sadly.

He saw Merlin appear.

He was checking Shrek out.

"What's wrong with him?" he asked coldly.

"It's Heart sickness, an illness to do with emotions.

The one who gave it to him must be a skilled person in the black arts.

There's a cure for it but you're going to need help." The elderly wizard told them.

Snowgre nodded as he opened a portal to Earth.

"Where're you going?" Fiona asked Snowgre.

"Getting some friends." He replied to her.

In a mall in Calvert County Leah and Carley were at the food court having lunch.

Carley was eating sushi while Leah was eating a pizza.

"What's wrong?

You look sad." Leah told her friend.

"I-I'm fine." Carley replied to her.

Leah knew it wasn't true.

They'd been in a music store listening to music when some girls had seen Carley's symbol cane.

They started throwing things at her and hurt her feelings by making fun of her.

Suddenly a portal appeared that sent many teens running as Snowgre stepped out of it.

"Snowgre!

What's up?" Leah said as she saw a sad look in his eyes.

"Follow me." he said siftly.

Carley saw the pain in his eyes as they followed her but somebody followed her with long black hair and a bow that looked like head phones...


	2. The Start of the New Quest

By Your Side

Ch 2

Morgan cackled as she entered her dorm room at Worchester.

She'd gotten revenge on her brother Artie by making Shrek sick with Heartsickness.

"But what if his friends get the cure?

That's impossible." She told herself.

Leah and Carley were shocked seeing Shrek's sickened state.

"What happened to him?

He looks terrible!" Leah said.

"Yeah he has heartsickness, an illness to do with emotions and he'll get worse but there's a way to help him." Snowgre explained to her.

They noticed Carley was very quiet.

"Hey it'll be okay.

We can fix this before he gets worse." Leah said as her friend nodded.

But then they heard hunters run off screaming and went to see why.

Leah gasped in awe.

A teen girl had been standing in a crater she'd created while earth bending.

She had black hair, blue eyes, wore a hair band that looked like head phones.

She was blind.

"Hey I'm Leah.

How did you take on those hunters?" she asked her.

"My name is Toph. Nice to meet you Leah." She replied.

"Who're your friends?

They… sound nice." She told her.

"Cool. The girl beside me is Carley, my best friend and the ogre kid is Snowgre.

You're not from around here, are you?" Fiona asked softly.

"No I'm not. I'm from the Earth Nation." She replied softly.

"_I wonder if she can help us find the cure to heartsickness?" _Leah thought as they sat around the table.

Only Toph was worried.

"_What if they know I'm blind?_

_They'd probably be like my parents, over controlling._

_But they seem nice." _She thought as she sipped tea.

"Where is this curte?" Carley asked softly.

"It's in Worchester somewhere but I'm not sure." Snowgre told her as he saw her by Shrek's bedside.

"Hey.

I'm... sorry... I'm like this." he said coughing slightly.

"It's not your fault.

W-We're gonna get the cure no matter what it takes." she told him.

Snowgre saw an aura glow around Carley's hand as she held Shrek's white one.

"Maybe she can hold him until we get the cure." he thought.

"When are we setting off?" Toph asked Snowgre.

"In the morning.

We'll get that cure, no matter what!" he replied with power in his voice.

"Snowg... keep it down." Shrek said deliriously.

"Sorry cousin." he replied as he made Japanese food for dinner.

He was a skilled chef in the oriental cooking arts.

Leah then saw sadness in Carley's eyes as they ate.

She knew how much Shrek meant to her as a friend, hero and father figure.

She knew she would do anything to save him, even if it meant risking her own life for her or her friends.

"That's what worries me about this.

Merlin said it was somebody skilled in black magic and there's only one sorceroress I know in Worchester.

She could get hurt.

But Toph's going too." Leah thought nervously as she ate ramen.

Snowgre saw worry in her dark brown eyes.

Later that night she was in bed beside Carley.

"What's wrong?" Carley asked her.

"About this mission. I know you would do anything to save him the way you would me but what if you got hurt?

I care about you too much to see you in agony or in pain.

It's your choice if you wanna come with us." Leah told her.

"Y-Yeah I know.

I'm scared thinking about it but I have no choice.

Shrek's my friend and without him or you, my world wouldn't be the same.

You guys understand me and give me hope." Carley replied to her.

Leah smiled as they hugged.

Snowgre sighed as he saw Toph and Leah join him outside.

"You guys ready?" he said softly.

"Yes we are." Toph told him as they began to walk off but Leah heard somebody as she ran up to them wearing a ninja suit and a back pack.

"Carley you okay?

Why're you dressed like that?" Snowgre asked her but Leah smiled.

She knew why.

"I'm coming with you guys.

Don't think you're leaving me behind." she replied.

Leah smiled at the look on Snowgre's face.

"Fine." he replied as they walked off.

Morgan was angry at that but smiled.

She saw Carley walking using her symbol cane and had an idea.

"I can use her to help me.

But I've got tp wait until they get to Worchester." she thought.

But then she realised she was late for class.

"I hate being reincarnated as a teen again." she growled as she left the room.

She had died but Artie had savewd his sister's life by using magic to reincarnate her into a sixteen year old again...

"Soon it'll be mine!" she cackled...


	3. Together We can Make It

By Your Side

Ch 3

Snowgre noticed Carley was quiet that night as they sat by the fire.

Lrah and Toph had gone looking for fire wood.

Leah had suggested using fire bending but Snowgre had been against it.

"You okay?

You haven't said anything in a while.

Normally you're talking up a storm with Leah about things." He said to her.

"Sorry. I've been like this for a while." She answered.

"_She must be worried about Shrek._

_Leah and Fiona told me the strong bond he and her have had since she was thirteen." _He thought.

Toph was curious about Leah's friends especially Carley.

"What do you want to know?" Leah said after she asked her.

"It's just your friend, I sense a lot of common ground from her." Toph replied.

"You mean Carley?" she asked her.

Toph nodded in reply.

"She's a lot like you.

She's a tom boy, funny, smart and creative but…." She told her.

"But what?" Toph asked her.

"She's going blind.

She has no night vision and can't see sides.

She uses a symbol cane to help her.

But it makes things worse for her.

Her retinas are dying because of a syndrome she has." Leah answered.

Toph gasped at that.

"I-I'm sorry.

I didn't mean to be rude." She said softly.

"It's okay Toph you were curious.

Besides I already know about it.

She told me." Leah said as they gathered more wood.

"Does she have friends besides you?" the earth bender asked.

"No not really. She's shy and afraid to make friends besides me and Snowgre and the others.

Her parents are like yours Toph.

She tries to make them proud but knows they never will be." She told her.

"_Wow _

_That's rough. She's like me._

_Lonely, wanting to be accepted._

_Maybe I can help her." _She thought as they went back to where they'd made camp.

But Morgan cackled as somebody appeared.

It was the new girl at Worchester, Azula.

She could tell she was dark hearted, cruel and wanted to rule like her.

She had long black hair, pale skin and black lips.

She'd been in a hospital for a while.

"Hello Morgan. I hear you're looking for me but why?" she asked.

"How would you like to rule the kingdom along with destroying a certain earth bender and her friends?

Does that sound good?" Morgan told her.

"Yes! It does!

Tell me what I have to do!" Azula replied excitedly.

"Not here. Meet me in the Spell Spinners club house.

I'll tell you everything you need to know." Morgan replied watching her walk off.

She cackled at that.

She had been denied but now nobody could stop her.

Carley noticed Toph looking at her as Leah put more wood on the fire.

"What did I do?" she asked her.

"Nothing." Toph said softly.

Leah felt an uneasy aura from Toph whn she was around Leah's friends especially Carley.

"I think she's trying to reach out to her, knowing that they're alike." she thought.

"I don't think you're going to help.

She hasn't talked in a little while." he said to her.

Toph nodded.

She saw tears fall from the short haired teen's blue eyes.

It worried her.

"What's wrong?" Snowgre said.

"I'm sorry I'm a burden to you guys.

Because of me, we had to make camp when we could've reached Worchester by now and gotten the cure.

Just leave me behind.

I'm worthless and no good at anything.

Go while you have a chance!" she said through tears.

Leah was shocked hearing that.

"Is... that normal?" she asked her.

"A little. She always gets depressed like this.

We have to help her too in spirit and inner strength issues." she answered her.

Snowgre then lay beside her as Leah sat beside her near the fire.

"You're good at being creative, a good friend and you understand people for who they are instead of their appearance.

You have a pure heart." he told her stroking her hair.

Leah saw a smile on her friend's face.

"What is it?" Snowgre asked her.

"Your fur... it's like a teddy bear's." she told him.

He chuckled at that.

"Yeah Fiona says that too.

Is that what's bothering you?

In case my cousin gets worse?" he asked her softly.

Carley nodded.

"Don't worry we'll get the cure and help him." Snowgre reassured her.

She smiled.

"Thanks Snowg." she told him.

Toph smiled as she sat beside them.

"I know you feel lonely because you're like me.

What I'm saying is I wanna be your friend too." she told her.

Carley smiled at her.

"Thanks Toph I'd like that.

Besides you're my fave earth bender." she replied as they laughed.

Azula smiled as she thought about what Morgan and her were going to pull...

"Soon this'll be mine!" she thought as lightning shot from her hands...


	4. Something's Not Right

By Your Side

Ch 4

Artie was worried as he watched Fiona put a fresh wash cloth on her husband's fore head.

"_I hope Leah and the others get the cure._

_He's getting worse by the days that pass." _He thought as he walked out the front door.

"Where're you going?" she asked him.

"I'm going to help my friends." He simply replied.

Fiona saw the look in his eyes as he left.

The next morning Snowgre woke up to find Carley and Leah eating.

"We've got to get moving guys if we're headed for Worchester." He told them.

"Sure we'll get going once Toph wakes up." Leah answered him.

Toph then felt cold ice on her back and woke up.

It had came from Snowgre's hand.

"Jeez you're cold man." She said waking up and rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"Sorry but it was the only way to wake you up." He told her.

Carley chuckled under her breath as they reached the harbour where their boat was waiting for them.

Morgan cackled as the student body were fleeing from her as she and Azula used their powers to scare them.

"This is serious fun.

Better than trying to rule all the Nations!" Azula laughed insanely.

Merlin was nervous along with Jables at this.

"This isn't good.

I hope Snowgre and his friends get here soon." Merlin told him.

"Yeah I know what you mean." Jables replied.

Leah noticed Snowgre was quiet as the boat set sail for Worchester.

"You okay Fuzzy Fur?" Toph asked him.

"Yeah I guess so.

I'm…. just depressed." He told her.

This shocked Leah.

Snowgre was a Goth but never depressed.

He was always in a good mood.

"Snowh are you feeling down?" she asked.

"I don't want to talk about it." He replied to her.

Carley then saw tears in his eyes.

"I-It's nothing okay?" he mumbled sadly.

"Snowg are you feeling alone like I do most of the time?" she asked him stroking his fur.

"Yeah.

Shrek's…. the only one who's like family to me.

He took me in when the other members of my family wouldn't.

They see me as a freak because I'm half yeti and half ogre with ice and snow powers.

Shrek and Fiona are the only ones beside you and Leah who care about me." He told her.

"That's sad.

I don't think you're a freak.

You're cool.

The other members of your family are losers if they don't love you for you." She replied to him.

"_She's right._

_But like her, I'm not very confident and not able to open up to my family._

_She would be the only one I open up to the same way she does with Leah." _He thought as ge tawned.

"Somebody needs a nap." Leah told him.

"I'm fine." He answered her.

He'd been having nightmares to do with their quest.

He hoped that they could get the cure to heal Shrek.

But doubt raged as the darkness and light inside of him were in constant battle.

Leah then saw him wake up later freaked out.

He then drank coffee.

"You okay?

You don't look too good." she told him.

"I-I'll be fine." he answered, his voice sounding horrible.

She felt his fore head.

It was very warm.

"Maybe you should lie down Snowg. It's like you have a fever." she told him.

"I'm fine.

It must be from the nightmares I keeo having.

They give me mega stress." he replied his vision blurring.

Leah was worried for him as he curled up into a furry balll on the ship floor.

"She's right Fuzz Boy. You're not well.

I can tell from your heart beat." Toph replied to him.

Snowgre's vision then went black as he hit the floor.

2We'd better get him below deck into a bed.

He needs to rest." Leah said as they brought Snowgre down.

Carkey was worried for him.

While he was out, he could hear her.

It was night time when they arrived at Worchester.

Snowgre was awake by that time.

He had dark spots over him and had a cold and was very weak.

"Maybe Merlin can help him." Leah suggested.

"N-No... I'm... fine." Snowgre replied while coughing up a storm.

"I can stay here with him while you guys get the cure or what ever." Toph said.

"No way. We're doing this together.

Help us get Snowgre out of gere so we can get Merlin to check him out." Carley told the earth bender.

She nodded as she and Leah let Snowgre lean on their shoulders as they entered Worchester.

It was quiet, very quiet...

They then saw Jables and led them to Merlin's private quarters.

Merlin smiled as he saw them.

"W-What's going on?" Carley asked nervous.

"You'll find out. Let me check Snowgre out." Merlin replied softly.


	5. I need A Hand to Hold

By Your Side

Ch 5

Merlin sighed as he looked over Snowgre.

"So what's wrong with him?" Leah asked.

"Yeah doc what's up with him?" Toph asked him.

"He has ogre flu combined with ogre pox but more serious cases.

He will get better from rest and an elixir I have." Merlin answered.

"Guys…. I'm fine." Snowgre told them coughing.

"You're not fine.

You're ill.

I know how badly you want to get the cure but you've got to look after yourself." Carley said softly.

"I… I guess so." Snowgre replied sneezing ice out of his nose.

Jables stared at that.

"_I've never seen him like this before, weak and sick._

_I hope he gets better." _He thought as he saw Snowgre's eyes close.

"What happened here?

It's very quiet." Leah said to Merlin.

"It's Morgan's fault.

She teamed up with the new girl Azula and took over." He said sadly.

Toph and Leah trembled hearing Azula's name.

"You guys know her, don't you?" Jables told them.

Toph nodded.

"She used to be the Princess of the Fire Nation until she went crazy but the Avatar and his friends including Toph here stopped her and the Fire Nation." Leah explained.

Merlin shuddered at that.

Carley looked nervous hearing that.

But then they heard thunder.

It was Azula.

"She knows we're here!" Leah and Toph yelled.

"Don't worry we can hide out on my island until we come up with a plan." Merlin said as he made up a ship with wings.

"Everybody get in now!" Jables yelled as he grabbed Snowgre and got in with the others.

"Who's driving the ship?" Carley asked.

"I am.

It's no harder than driving a Fire Nation air ship." Toph told them as they flew away from Worchester.

"Drat they got away!" Azula yelled in anger.

"Don't worry we'll get them.

They have to come back sometime." Morgan told her.

A smile crossed Azula's face at that.

"You're right!" she cackled.

In the air Leah watched as Carley wrapped blankets around Snowgre in his bunk to keep him warm.

"_He's like a brother to her._

_I hope he gets better soon." _She thought.

But in his head his memories were fading until they became nothingness.

Merlin was worried by that.

Later Leah brought him some soup.

"Snowg?

You awake?

I brought you some soup." She said gently to him.

His eyes opened as he looked at her funnily.

"What's wrong?" she asked him.

"Do you know who I am?

I can't remember who I am or who you all are." He told her eating slowly.

That shocked her but Merlin sighed.

"It's part of the illness.

His memory won't begin to come back until he's better." he said.

Leah nodded as she watched Snowgre sleep.

It made her sad hearing that.

She then heard Jables yelling excitedly.

"What's going on?" Leah asked him.

"We've reached Merlin's island!" he answered her.

Leah saw relief in Carley's eyes.

"At least we can come up with a battle plan while we're hiding." she said to her.

Leah nodded.

But somebody was waiting for them on the island.

It was Artie.

He looked terror struck.

"What're you doing here?

Why do you look so freaked?" Leah asked him.

"I came to help you guys and I... was at Worchester and the entire student body was missing.

Something bad is happening.

I can feel it." he answered them.

"Don't worry we'll find them once we take care of Morgan and Azula." Carley said nervously.

Toph heard the nerves in her voice.

She knew she was worried about fighting both Morgan and Azula.

She watched as her friends followed Merlin to his house while Carley was sitting on the sand watching the waves.

She sat beside her.

"You okay?

I know you get worried or nervous easily.

I know the sound of Azula scares you.

But you're not alone.

We're gonna help." Toph said reassuringly.

"Thanks. Maybe we can." Carley replied as they walked to Merlin's place.

Leah was relieved to see them.

"What's wrong?" Toph asked her.

"I'll tell you later when Carley isn't around." she whispered as Snowgre slept.

Merlin had given him some of the elixir used to cure his illness.

Toph was curious.

But they were unaware that Azula was searching for them.

Merlin knew this would happen so made the island seem like it wasn't there by using his magic.

Morgan was angry to hear that Merlin's little island wasn't there.

"He must be fooling us!" she yelled.

Artie wondered what was wrong with Snowgre.

"He's not very well." Carley answered quietly.

He understood.

But Snowgre heard sounds of crying in his mind which he couldn't figure out.

Artie knew what they belonged to.

They'd belonged to Snowgre as a child... after his family were gone.

He'd heard it from Shrek.

"I'm sure he'll get better.

We've gotta find that cure." Artie said to her.

Toph wondered why Snowgre looked so sad while eating.

"A distant memory, one he's blocked out for so long is returning." Artie said to her.

"What're you talking about Artie?" she replied curiously.

"The memory... of his parents abandoning him.

That's why he finds it so hard to trust anybody besides us, Shrek and Fiona.

What if he remembers that?" he explained to them.

Fiona was worried.

Her true love had slipped into a deep sleep and he was still in it.

"Please guys hurry.

We're counting on you to come through." she thought sadly.

But on the island somebody else was there.

His name was Zuko, Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation.

He was nervous about this place but was relieved when he saw Toph.

"Toph are you okay?

What's going on?" he asked her.

"I don't know but my friends do.

Come on.

They're at Merlin's place drinking herbal tea and doing yoga." she replied.

Zuko sughed as he followed the earth bender.

Merlin was staring at Zuko's face especially at the fire scar around his right eye.

"Hey Zuk." Leah said to him.

"Hey Leah we haven't seen each other since the Fire Nation was stopped when you and.. your nervous friend visited." he replied staring coldly at Carley.

Leah sighed.

For some reason Zuko didn't like Carley but the two of them couldn't figure out why.

"Please don't start that again." Carley told him.

"How did he get that scar and does he get many chicks with it?" Artie asked Leah.

"It's a long and painful story and yes he does." she answered.

Only Snowgre heard voices arguing in his head.

They belonged to his parents.

Before they decided on abandoning him, they were nearly going to divorce and Snowgre normally bore the brubr if their fighting.

The only one who'd loved him was Shrek.

Tears ran down his blue skinned face...

Artie wondered what was wrong as Snowgre walked out of there...


End file.
